Father
by TyrTheWry
Summary: Post-BDM. Over a year has passed and the crew has potentially thrilling crime lined up. They just have to survive each other, newcomers, and Highgate, in order to make it happen.
1. Chapter 1: Democracy

Ch. 1

"Okay, next one."

"Verna Sansun." Zoe said officially as she read the file. The crew was gathered around the dining table, beginning to look weary as the stack of applicants had been long.

"Which one?" Jayne growled, having lost patience long ago.

"Brunette, kinda spindly, talked fast."

"I liked her." Simon announced with a sip of his tea. All eyes were suddenly trained on him, wanting elaboration. "She was one of a few that actually bothered to fill out my medical form, and listed herself as O negative."

"O-Wha?" The merc grunted.

"She's a universal blood donor, the only one in the stack that gave me the form." He explained. "Seeing as we all have a habit of losing large quantities of blood, she could come in handy."

"So Simon wants her for a blood bank." Mal leaned back in his chair and sighed. Democracy made him weary, it also gave him a splitting headache.

"Well, I mean she also _seemed_ nice. However she comes with a pretty _decent_ bonus feature."

"Besides havin' nice blood, she has good credentials." Kaylee supplied, plucking the file out of Zoe's hands. "She scored high on her flight test and we got to talkin' and she knows enough about Serenity's type'a innards to be of some help around here."

"She seemed nice." It was unfortunately all Inara could say, she didn't have the point of view of Kaylee, nor even Simon and his possible blood supply. "She was polite."

"Her brain was nice." River mumbled, face planted into the tabletop out of sheer boredom. "Was calm. And pretty. Many folds."

Mal gave River a look, as if he was not quite sure it was a compliment or something to be concerned about. "Kinda liked her myself. Didn't seem like the kind to give me guff."

"Was a little squirrely." Zoe said skeptically.

"You ever met a pilot that wasn't?"

"She was... Skinny." Jayne said disinterestedly. "Can't we just hire-"

"No." Welling up from the entire group the response was unanimous.

"Ain't a beauty pageant, Jayne." Zoe was losing her patience with the big man as she eyed the large stack of candidates they just gone through.

"Hell if we're hirin' a _girl _it might as well be one that's nice ta look at." He groused, pouring more whiskey into his cup.

"We're hiring on talent, Jayne." Inara admonished. "Male or female, it's who's best for the position."

"Who's best for the crew." Kaylee piped, patting Simon's arm affectionately.

Jayne looked at everyone as if they were as useless as a sack of tracked money. Getting up, throwing a sneer their way, he lumbered out.

"What about Veksham?" Zoe asked, ignoring the merc's temper tantrum as his large boots stomped off towards the crew bunks.

"Eh." Their mechanic shrugged. "He wasn't inta coding. I could use another who knows their way around the software."

"His brain wasn't as nice." The reader muttered from underneath her curtain of hair. "It's my chair." She reminded them, almost absently.

"Emerson Li, now she was good." Kaylee said. "It seemed all the ladyfolk had more technical aptitude, while the menfolk just kinda talked about their natural flyin' talent."

Mal rubbed his sinuses. "Tā mā de de yuángù. I liked this a whole lot better when I was on the one who made this decision and didn't have my crew harpin' on who they thought had good blood or was purty or had a snuggly braincase."

"It's called self-government-" Inara began.

"This ain't a government!" Slamming his hand in frustration down on the table, the others jumped slightly. "This is called _my_ gorram boat. And we didn't have this problem till you 'roused the troops and made them think they had a say in this."

Her eyes were like daggers at him. However she only pursed her lips ever so slightly as she quietly got up, took her teacup and left. Heading to her shuttle, certainly not his bunk.

"Trouble." River whispered from her spot on the table.

"But we _should_ have a say, Cap'n." His little mechanic scowled. "We're gonna be stuck with whoever gets picked."

"We don't like 'em, we kick 'em off at the nearest port!"

"Sir, we gotta job waiting for us on Highgate. We'd be stuck with them near a month." Zoe pointed out.

"I am sick of this hóuzi gǒu shǐ." Mal abruptly got up and knocked over his chair in the process. "Choose whoever you want! Whatever headstuffs or platelets amuse you so! Clearly this is the way things run around here." If a huff he stormed off towards the cargo bay, ignoring Kaylee's comments about his surliness along the way. Stopping at the shuttle, he pounded on the door.

Nothing.

"Inara." He intoned.

Silence.

Mal pulled his face back from the door and looked at it long and hard, knowing she wasn't going to talk. But still- "Nara open up."

Miraculously, the door opened. However what met him was as surly as a wet cat, and quite possibly twice as dangerous. "What, _Malcolm_."

His eyebrows shot up, because Malcolm was a new level.

"What?"

"Don't you just storm off 'cause I call your bluff." He finally got around to spitting out.

She rolled her eyes. "I left the table to avoid further conflict." Turning to leave, the door begins to shut but he catches it and follows her into the luxuriously decorated shuttle.

"Conflict you caused! I wouldn't be havin' this problem unless you wouldn't of have put it all in their stupid little heads that they have and opinion."

She turned on her heels and locked onto him. Becoming a force of nature draped in very expensive silks. "I'm sorry, I thought we did, seeing as we all survived this past year together out in the black. Scraping by, helping one another out, I thought we were a crew that worked together-"

"Yes, but workin' ain't decidin'." He raised his voice slightly as he looked down at her.

"You just can't not be in control-"

"Fèihuà!"

"Really?" she drew a brow, poised and confident.

"I'm with you, and that's a wind in my sails I can't steer!" He says in exasperation. "You just rush on in and turn things sideways! I said we'd find a gorram pilot! I didn't say we'd find the hùn zhàng _together_. You come back from your servicin'-"

"Don't do this." She warned.

"Been gone days, off by yourself, you and your gorram clients. And you come back in here singin' songs of togetherness and equality and how everyone should be apart of this! Cause we all work together! And you include yourself!"

There was a beat as the air was rife was tension. Inara's eyes welled with tears and she had to swallow the emotions welling up within. "Get out." Her voice crackled.

Mal stared at her, watching the hurt creep up her face. "Inara."

"Get. Out."

He hesitated slightly, but retreated. The door shut behind him and while he wanted to linger, it was easer to move back into the galley where the remaining crew was seated and watching him like they had caught their parents fighting. "WHAT?" He blustered.

Kaylee and Simon both found sudden interest in studying the lines on their own hands. Zoe's eyes didn't waver, and River was still communing with the table.

The Captain stood there, unsure of what to do or say. Finally he grabbed the bottle of sake off of the table. "You choose?"

"Verna." Zoe said cooly, acting as if the man before her was a calm and rational person.

"You and Jayne go fetch her." He said, pouring himself a glass and taking a swill. "Rest of you, go to your jobs. There's plenty of work to be done." Watching them all disperse throughout the ship, he sniffled and trampled back to the cargo bay. Descending the stairs, he opened the bay doors and wandered out onto the ramp.

The world was in winter and the street light hitting him was the warmest light. A yellow cutting through the grays and blues as snow floated down from the night sky and kissed his clothes, leaving just as quickly as they came. The air was fresh and clean, pine with just a hint of exhaust as the dock roared with life. There was a snowman just off to the side of Serenity, the doing of his mechanic, doctor and junior pilot. The snowman had some scrap washers for eyes and bits of metal for other facial features. He had Simon's vest on, the one with the bullet hole in it, and was adorned with some calligraphy going down his chest that welcomed visitors.

Mal took in the crisp night and shut his eyes. He was ready to leave the gorram rock they were docked on, but at the same time his idle crew and their need for democracy were driving him batty. He briefly entertained spacing one to straighten the others up. However, he unfortunately needed all of them. Probably. It could have been affection that was sparing them, but he would never admit to that.

"Sir?"

Opening his eyes he found the young man there, bundled up and hauling a bag. He couldn't have been much older than River, with that type of young sweet face that clearly had yet to see war or strife. "We don't take passengers right now." Mal told him, waving the boy away.

"No sir." He shouldered the bag and took a step onto the ramp. "I'm here looking for a Malcolm Reynolds."

The Captain looked the boy up and down suspiciously. He appeared vaguely familiar, but Mal knew he'd never seen him before. "Who's askin?"

"You him?"

"Depends on who's askin'."

"His son."

* * *

Tā mā de de yuángù: For fuck's sake

Hóuzi gǒu shǐ: monkey shit

Fèihuà: bullshit

Hùn zhàng: bastard

* * *

**A/N:** Reviews are alway appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2: DNA

"Shuō shénme?"

"I'm-" The boy hesitated before lifting his chin up as he gathered courage. "I'm your boy."

Mal stared at him for a long while. Then he started snickering.

The boy furrowed his brows.

"Did Monty put you up to this?" Mal clapped his hand over his mouth as he laughed. "Yīnwèi zhè shì zuì fēngkuáng de yīkuài yětù de gāowán yǐwǎng rènhé shíhou dōu shìguò tā! I'm sorry I played that trick on him in th-"

"No, I'm Warren. Warren Hiram Reynolds, Sir." The boy said with a frown plastered across his young face. He watched as Mal's laughter died a slow, anguished death. Thrusting out a hand to shake, Warren gave a nervous yet excited smile.

The Captain stared at the hand for the longest time. Looking at it like it was no longer a prank pulled by an old friend, but a live grenade someone was asking him to hold onto for a moment.

The awkward silence was long enough for Warren to finally pull his hand away and jam it into his coat pocket. "Well, I am." He mustered, shifting his weight to the other foot.

"How'd you find this ship?" He asked warily, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

"Heard of a Mal Reynolds who got in trouble with the Alliance who flew in a Firefly." He supplied. More folk were emerging from within the ship, staring at him and this Mal Reynolds fella. "If you check docking lists on the cortex you can see most docks, and they have ship types listed. There's only about five Aught Three Fireflies still in operation, Sir." The older, harsher eyes were gazing into his own, and what they had behind them made the boy nervous. "There was one that had docked here a few times, and I work in this town so-"

"Who's this?" Zoe asked as she sidled up, the others trailing behind her. Her eyes went up and down the boy in ill-fitting clothes.

"No one." Mal responded quickly with a cloud of air curling up into the snowy night, jamming his hands into his coat pockets. "You best get moving, boy."

The boy's face sank at the order and the man in front of him putting on some nonchalant act in front of the others. "Sir my mother was Sarah Quentin." He said desperately, stubbornly. "She died right after I was born, her folks shipped me off to her brother's, he raised me here-"

"Good for you." He did his best not to look touched by the name of Sarah Quentin. It tugged at something deep though. "Now git."

Warren's head dipped, he shrunk some. "Sir."

"Git." It came out mean. Meaner than Mal expected it to, but he ran with it.

He nodded ever so slightly as he gripped his bag. "Hùn zhàng." The boy muttered as he turned to leave.

"He's yours." River blurted out the words, and suddenly all eyes were trained on her. The willowy teen in the oversized sweater gazed at the Captain in disgust as the others gawked at her announcement. "From _your_ loins."

"I was going to say nephew." Simon mumbled to himself, drawing his hand across his face as he squinted at the similarities between the rangy lad and well built Captain in front of him. "But this is far more entertaining."

Mal shot the Doctor a look that he'd gotten so frequently he no longer felt threatened by it.

"Why you shooin' him away?" Kaylee asked reproachfully. "He's family."

"I'd say he's family." Zoe agreed with a nod of her head.

"He ain't family!" Mal snapped. "I don't got no son! I don't got kin!"

"Sarah Quentin was your sweet heart when you signed up for service." Warren gathered his courage and took a step forward, getting in the older man's face. "You got in a fight when you came back on leave from training, and you broke up. But you didn't know that nine months later I came along."

"We can run a DNA test." Simon offered. The offer was more out of sheer personal curiosity than actual professional obligation. "That would certainly settle this once and for all."

"I don't think we necessarily need one." Zoe said, looking back and forth between the two willful men. It was obvious the two shared blood. From the brow to the nose to the jaw, the boy looked like a Mal not yet joined the service. His hair was darker, and his eyes brown, but the features were Reynolds through and through.

"I'd take a DNA test." The boy piped, twisting his grip on his bag.

Mal turned back to see Inara had wandered out of her shuttle and onto the gangway to watch the commotion. Meanwhile Jayne was lumbering over to join her. "Well I didn't ask for one." Mal's voice rose as he began to feel cornered. His mind was reeling, and everyone pushing in on him was not helping to settle his nerves.

"Captain!" His mechanic chastised.

The crew's eyes were on him, judging him. The boy stood in front of Mal and looked at him with a mixture of hope and stubbornness. There was a fix in his brow, and his lower lip pushed out in just a way that Mal suddenly saw himself scowling right back at him. There was no denying it. He looked back to his crew, all of them fit to be tied, and then back at his young reflection. He briefly re-entertained spacing one of them for getting in his business. But then again he needed them all. Affection, not so much this time. "How long does this test take, Doc?" Mal asked in a huff as he turned on his heels and headed back into the warmth of Serenity.

"Six hours for processing of results." Simon began to roll up his sleeves as the Captain passed him by.

"Well, best we get this started. Got a job waiting for us on Highgate." He told them with some extra authority in his voice. "Zoe, Jayne, get the new pilot, get her settled."

The boy stood on the ramp, watching the Captain disappear.

Simon was the one who approached first. "You'll need to come in for the test." He offered.

"Of course." Shouldering his bag, he went up to the Doctor.

"Doctor Tam." Simon offered a hand, slipping into a more professional tone. He noted the boy had a firm grip. "If you follow me we can get all of this started."

"Warren. Warren Reynolds." A girl in coveralls littered with glittery patches bounced over to settle next to the doctor.

"I'm Kaylee." She studied him with a mixture of equal parts excitement and curiosity. "That over there is Zoe, and the little one your age is River. We got others, but they're about. Where're you from?"

"Here." He said with a bit of anxiety, keeping an eye on the Doctor who took them through the ship. "I live here, I work at a fishery just outside of town. They have worker dorms." Suddenly they were in the blue infirmary room and Mal was standing there with his hands folded across his chest.

"Kaylee, go get Serenity ready for lift off." Mal told her as Simon went to his cabinets and started prepping a tray. "No need for you to be standing here gawkin', and I want off this rock as soon as my new pilot is in."

Kaylee gave her captain an annoyed scowl. "Yes sir." She reluctantly spat out before heading off.

"Captain." Simon snapped on a pair of gloves.

"I ain't too fond of you pokin' me, Doctor."

"Today's your lucky day." He announced, opening up a plastic tube that contained a q-tip. "No needles. All I need is to swab the inside of your cheek." Holding up the q-tip, he carefully swabbed the Captain's mouth as soon as it begrudgingly opened. "You're done."

"Good." Mal tugged on his coat and headed towards the door. "When you're done, see him out-"

"But the test takes six hours-"

"And we'll Wave him the results." The Captain said simply as he walked out. Heading off before anyone could give any sort of reaction to his words.

Simon glared at the open door.

* * *

"Part'a me wonders if'n I gotta little Cobb or two runnin' around." Jayne said somewhat wistfully as he and Zoe headed into the bar. It was a dank, noisy, and seedy place; smelling ripe with booze and tobacco.

"Way you run to the med bay to have Simon clean you up every time you get back from a cathouse makes me suspect so." Zoe replied dryly as she scanned the bar for their pilot. Two men headed towards the door with a stretcher and a sheet covering up something.

"Don't like wrappin' my Johnson up." Jayne grunted in discomfort as several men started watching him, following him. "Betcha I'd make cute babes."

"Betcha you should bì shàng nǐ de xiànjǐng." Zoe stepped forward to intercept the stretcher. "Āi, tíngzhǐ." Grabbing the sheet, she threw it back. The woman laying face up had a hole right between her eyes.

Jayne looked down and tilted his head like a dog that was trying to figure out if something was food or a toy. "Ain't that our pilot?"

"That it is." Zoe frowned in disappointment. Turning to the men, she asked. "How'd she go?"

"Bet too much, decided she weren't gonna pay someone." The heavier one said. "He always gets his pay. Why so?"

"No reason." Zoe sighed, covering the body back up with the sheet. Putting her hands on her hips as they took it away, she stamped her foot on the floorboards. "Mǔqīn tuófēng érzi yīgè jīdàn xīshǔn mǔgǒu!"

"So whadda we do now?" Jayne sniffed.

The soldier looked across the bar and saw a few things. Men were getting up and looking at Jayne in a way that meant several layers of trouble. And a familiar face sat at the bar with a packed bag and a mug of something strong. "Jayne," She intoned as two men got up, eyes locked on the merc.

"Yeah Zoe?"

"You do anything that might've pissed some folk off here?"

"Well... I won poker."

She gave him a suspicious glare.

"I was honest." He snapped defensively, watching a few more men get up. "May have upset a few, though."

"Uh huh." Sliding her hand onto the tang her gun, the second in command began to walk towards the woman at the bar with the bag. She was about as tall as Zoe, decked out in a jumpsuit and a flight jacket strewn with all sorts of patches from jobs long finished. "Go outside and warm up the mule, Jayne."

"What 'bout you?"

"I need to see about a pilot." She said. "Now hustle." Approaching the woman, she sidled up. "Emerson Li."

Emerson turned to look at the imposing, yet slightly on edge soldier. "Zoe, right?"

Jayne was nearly to the door when a man near his size suddenly got in the way. "You that Jayne Cobb?" He asked as others gathered round.

"You want the job?" Zoe offered.

"Let me pass." Jayne growled, his muscles tightening as he saw knuckles being cracked.

"Well, yeah." Emerson Li said, setting her drink down.

"A feller by the name of Jayne Cobb slept with my lady last night." The man hissed, stepping in, getting in the merc's face. He slid brass knuckles onto his gnarled, ugly fingers.

Jayne's face slackened "Shit."

"Good, we-" Before Zoe could finish, all hell broke loose in the front of the bar. Whipping around, she saw four men attempting to beat the living daylights out of Jayne. However the mercenary was wailing back and was strong enough to send one across the room and into a support beam. "Ó, tā mā de de yuángù." Sizing the fight up, she said over her shoulder. "If you want this job, we gotta leave right now."

The woman's eyes were wide with shock, but she steeled herself. "Alright."

"Fighter?"

"Um…_Pilot_."

"Well keep up." Zoe said as she took her gun out and rushed into the fight, pistol whipping one of the men trying to choke Jayne out.

* * *

Translations

Shuō shénme?: Say what?

Yīnwèi zhè shì zuì fēngkuáng de yīkuài yětù de gāowán yǐwǎng rènhé shíhou dōu shìguò tā: because this is the craziest piece of hare's testicles that's ever been tried by him

Hùn zhàng: Bastard

Bì shàng nǐ de xiànjǐng: Shut your trap

Āi, tíngzhǐ: Hey, stop

Mǔqīn tuófēng érzi yīgè jīdàn xīshǔn mǔgǒu: Mother humping son of an egg sucking bitch

Ó, tā mā de de yuángù.: Oh for fuck's sake

* * *

**A/N: Reviews, like hamsters, is shiny.**

**A/N #2: To the guest who pointed out my issue with tenses in the last chapter, thank you! I caught that before I went to work and was mildly horrified I had present tense slip ups. That bugs me too. So it's fixed.**


	3. Chapter 3: Ache

Zoe and Jayne came tumbling out of the bar in a cloud of dust, bullets, glass and blood. Like a knot of enraged ants welling up from an anthill, the others began to spill out after them, yelling and cursing their ancestors. However Zoe gazed upwards as the mule growled to a halt in front of the two overwhelmed brawlers.

Their new pilot peered down from the driver's seat. "Come on!"

Grabbing Jayne by the back of his jacket, she hauled him up to his feet. Climbing in, the mule lurched forward, and the pair tumbled inside as the mob chased the mule down the road.

Emerson grabbed the radio. "Serenity this is the mule, over."

Jayne looked back at the trail of dust and men they were leaving behind. He wiped the blood from his lip. "Nǐ zì jiāo xì fèn àihào zhě! Xīwàng nǐ de shēngzhíqì làn diào!"

"Mule this is Serenity, new pilot I assume?" Mal's voice responded.

"Zoe, you accidentally hit me back there!" Jayne whined loudly as he rubbed his aching jaw.

"Wasn't an accident." She admitted over the roar of the engines.

"Aye, this is 'Em. We've run into some local color, can you have the ship prepped? We should leave quickly." As she said so, the rumbles of other hovercraft taking pursuit began to creep into the air. "Really really quickly."

"Good to know. We're spoolin' up."

"Who the hell did you sleep with?!" Zoe shouted to Jayne.

He racked his gun. "Hell, I dunno! She came on ta me!"

Zoe rolled her eyes before turning around and firing a shot at an approaching hovercraft.

* * *

Inara wanted to stay in her shuttle and give Mal no ground, she was certainly furious enough. However with the commotion about the boy, she found herself lingering in the common room. Admittedly she was still plenty angry at the Captain and his pig headedness, but these new events were taking the edge off of it. Settling on the couch, trying not to look like she was fixating on the infirmary, Inara was. Simon had closed the door before she had gotten there, and was in the room with the boy claiming to be Malcolm's son.

Son. The thought of that made her stomach churn, and she wasn't happy it did. Mal certainly had other lovers before her, and she was not one to be jealous. Perhaps it wasn't jealousy she was feeling, but there was uncertainty swimming in the quagmire of emotions Inara was trying to process as quietly as possible. He was Mal's, there was no denying it, but at the same time she never in a million years would think Mal would have a teenage boy somewhere in the 'verse. Some form of actual family instead of the makeshift one they'd all had cobbled together within the last fifteen months or so out in the black hiding from the Alliance.

"Looks just like the captain, don't he?" Kaylee said, walking out with little May Washburn on her hip. The six month old baby babbled happily. "Can you watch her? She was nappin' in my hammock but is all ready to go now."

"Of course. Come here, Little One." Inara took May and cuddled the baby, who in return giggled furiously. She was a happy child, and they all liked to say there was an awful lot of Wash in her. "And there are quite a few similarities." Inara agreed, pressing a kiss to May's frizzy curls as chubby fingers made a go for her long dark hair.

"I just don't know why the captain's gotta be so surly about it." Kaylee sighed. "That boy is his kin. You'd think he'd want that."

"The Captain does not like surprises." Inara said a little harsher than she wanted to. Carefully, she untangled a wee paw from a fistful of her hair. "Or opening himself up to people."

Kaylee read all sorts of things in the Companion's words. "I don't see why we can't take the boy on. Far as I could tell he'd be good. Could make him crew."

Inara didn't say anything because she still wasn't entirely sure what to say about the boy.

May squawked, rousing her Auntie 'Nara from her train of thought.

"Oh Mayday, wǒ de xiǎo zhēnzhū." Inara cooed, lifting the baby up and tickling her fat little belly to receive a peel of laughter. "Mama will be home soon enough." She pressed a smattering of kisses to the light toffee skin of May's nose as the rumble of the mule entered through the cargo bay.

"Sounds like we got our pilot, so I gotta go." Kaylee said, tickling under May's chin before trotting off to the engine room.

Inara rose up, tucking May to her hip and using part of her sari to secure the little girl. Heading to the door to see what is going on in the cargo bay, she had to get out of the way of a woman charging up the stairs towards the helm. She could hear the doors shutting, and entered just in time to cross paths with Zoe as Jayne was still closing up Serenity.

"There's my baby." Zoe's face lit up as her pace quickened. She was tired and sweaty, bruised all over from the bar, but her baby was an instant reliever.

May squealed, reaching out for her mother with fat hands.

"Didn't I say she'd be back soon?" Inara told the little one as she deposited her into Zoe's arms. She watched the two snuggle, Zoe showering her daughter with affection. May was the cheery sort who loved everyone on the ship, but her mother was number one.

"She do well?" Zoe asked, raising the baby up in the air before dropping her back down to elicit a squeal.

"I barely had her, she just got up from her nap." Inara looked up the stairs, where the woman had retreated to. "New pilot?"

"Fairly decent. Drove us outta an angry mob that wanted to kill Jayne for sleeping with some feller's girl." She supplied whilst patting May's back. "Thanks again." Leaving Inara, Zoe headed up the stairs and to the helm with her daughter. Emerson had Wash's chair, and River begrudgingly had the co-pilot's as Mal stood between them.

Mal turned and looked at Zoe all befuddled-like. "I thought we chose the other one?"

"We ran into a complication, Sir." She reported. Finding a pair of toy keys absently left in the locker, she handed them to Mayday to chew.

"Which was?"

"She got herself shot, on account'a a card game?"

"Oh." He nodded in semi-understanding, reaching out to tickle his god-daughter's cheek. "Well then I suppose you were wise to improvise."

The roar of the wind suddenly halted and with a soft jolt they were back in the black. "Thirty-six hours till our next destination, sir." The new, improvised pilot announced.

"Earning your keep already."

"That's my chair." River groused from the other seat.

"Em's getting paid to be her chair." Mal told her.

"Wǒ de." The teenager muttered. However her sulking stopped as her head perked up. Looking around the helm, her eyes trailed down to the floor. Hopping up from her seat, she stared for the longest time at a spot right in front of her. Slowly tilting her head, looking like an owl that had found a mouse in the grass she took a step forward. Moving like a small predator on the hunt, the girl silently disappeared.

Emerson was several levels of confused and uncomfortable.

Mal drew a brow, but decided River was being River. Letting out a sigh, he relished the black. Things would perhaps settle into some law-breaking normalcy, and that gorram boy would get out of his mind.

* * *

Simon opened the door and let Inara in.

"I hear we have a new passenger." Inara said as she entered the infirmary, eyeing the nervous young man.

"Yes, one I believe Mal won't be too enthusiastic about." Simon let out an exasperated sigh. "He's not supposed to be here, exactly."

"Wanted me to take the DNA test and leave." The boy announced testily as he sat slumped in the chair.

"Don't take it personally, he's generally horrible to everyone." Inara reassured the boy, offering a hand. "I'm Inara."

"Warren."

She could see the way his eyes were trying in vein not to look her all over. He was young, and she was so glamorous that it made him nervous. Inara slipped into a well practiced smile better suited to put him at ease. "You've caused quite a stir, Warren."

"I didn't mean to." He mumbled in earnest, his ears turning red with embarrassment.

"No need to apologize." Inara made her voice warm and comforting, though it masked her own unease.

"Don't worry." Simon scuttled about, busying himself with smaller projects. "We appreciate a stir like this. Livens things up without anyone needing medical atten-"

"Why is he still here?"

They all turned to see Mal there, his eyes furious.

The doctor floundered, clasping his hands behind his back he searched to the right excuse. "I-I-had-difficulty running the test. I had to hold him here fo-"

"Doc, don't you ever try a half-assed lie like that again." Mal snapped before looking at the boy. "And you! I told you you take your test and leave."

"You wouldn't have come back." Warren growled.

"For someone so astute, you surely don't take _hints_."

"Mal." Inara admonished.

"You stay outta this." Mal told her quickly. "You gotta place in this? You his ma? This is between me and _him_. Now I told him he could take his DNA test and leave, and no one's listening to me about it!"

Simon winced, looking at his employer tersely. Both he and Inara turned to the boy to see how the cruelness was affecting him.

"I have every right to know." The boy growled.

"That you're a _crook_?"

"I ain't no crook!"

"Oh yeah? Then why you lyin'?" He puffed out his chest, looking pleased at himself as the boy looked like someone had knocked the wind out of sails. "Yeah. Sarah didn't die seventeen years back. She died six years back. You know how I know? Cause I was _with her_ 'bout two years before she died 'cause'a-" He stopped. His voice had started to go raw with emotion. It all felt so near again that he had to steady himself. "She died six years back."

"I know that." Warren's eyes had started to turn red, glistening with tears. "She gave me up right when she had me. Could't stand to raise me alone so young. So she took me to her brother on Perth and had him raise me." He looked away. "Never got along with him, but he was all she had for an out."

"Benji." Mal uttered.

"Like'a year after he and Aunt Nan been raisin' me, he had a fight with her. Big one. Never wanted to talk to her again. 'Kay? Ever since then he told me she died. I never knew the truth about till two years back, so sometimes I slip up some." He looked down at his fingers, his face red and his eyes puffy. "I know she tried to get back with you."

Mal felt an uncomfortableness creep into his belly. The boy was either a spectacular liar, or he was true. Either way, he was digging up old hurt Mal had long since buried deep and left on Shadow with the rest of the bones. "I want you gone."

Inara gave the Captain a look that would have killed a lesser man. "Out."

Mal cocked his head. "You bossing me?" She breezed past him, out the door, and he turned to follow.

Simon shut the doors, watching throught the window as the pair headed out of sight to square off before he turned around. "They're actually both very nice people." He reassured the stunned teen who began to look more and more wounded by the Captain's words. "Well... Inara's very nice."

* * *

River removed the wall panel and peered into the hole. "Hi."

* * *

"Why are you gettin' in this business!" Mal barked as he followed her into the shuttle. "This ain't your affair!"

"You'd space your own son before you'd so much as hug him!" Inara snapped back, whirling around at him. "You can be so cruel, Mal."

"Because he _can't_ be mine!"

Inara crossed her arms against her chest and pursed her lips.

"Well…" Mal grunted, stewing. "_Maybe_ so."

She rolled her eyes heavenward. "Have you _seen_ that boy? He's like a gorram _clone_." Inara gestured to the door.

"He lied!"

"He had a complicated childhood. You just don't want the responsibility-"

"And you would?" He snorted, beginning to pace. "I already got plenty of responsibility, I don't need another mouth to feed."

Inara narrowed her eyes at him. "You know, I still don't know what to think about you having a son, but at least I'm willing to accept you need to be apart of his life."

"Quit accepting things you don't have any say in."

There was a pause. Inara swallowed a thick lump of anger and pressed on. "I grow weary of having to hear what I _do_ or _do not_ have a say in. Or whether or not I'm crew."

"Inara-"

"_No_." She raised her voice. "I have been with this crew through thick and thin. I have been by your side more than most women could bare. And you _still_ treat me like an outsider, Mal. No." Her brow quirked, and the scowl on her normally sweet mouth grew. "No, I stand corrected."

Mal paused, allowing a bit of hope that he would win to enter his mind.

"No I need to correct myself, because you were _nicer_ when we were on the run. You started treating me like an outsider again _after_ I got my recertification last month yet kept seeing you."

He said nothing. His eyes wandered the room, not wanting to make eye contact to be caught red-handed in his awareness that she was right. And gorrammit, he hated her being right.

"All of a sudden, I was lesser than again. And my opinions no longer mattered." She stressed.

"I told you you didn't have to go back ta work." He groused.

"And I told you I wanted to." She pressed. "That I needed to..."

"Why do you need them? Huh?"

"Don't be so childish." Inara snapped, her hands sliding to her hips aggressively. "We've had this talk, I want to be with you, Mal. Yet I want to work and you seem to believe I can't have both. And if I try, my voice on the crew no longer counts."

"Work all you want-"

"Just not as a Companion?"

He had to stop himself from answering that. Instead he stepped in front of her. "Your opinion _does_ matter, Inara." He conceded with just a bit of softness. "But it don't when it comes to that boy. He ain't a crew matter, he's a personal matter. And I don't have a son."

"You don't _have_ one or you don't _want_ one?" Her voice softened with his.

Mal's mouth opened and shut a few times.

"What if he wasn't some teenage boy? Hm? What if he was four or five?" Inara stepped in closer, rubbing a hand up his arm soothingly. "What if he was just a sonogram Simon was showing us?"

He looked into her eyes and saw something he's never quite seen there before. "You're not-"

"Gracious no." She saw his answer. Resigning herself, Inara let out a deep breath. "I know you don't want a child, however just try to keep an open mind on this boy. He's family, the crew sees him as such."

"What if he ain't mine? Huh?"

Her look told him he was kidding himself. Or stupid. Or both.

Mal pursed his lips. He suddenly felt exhausted as he reached out and caught her hips. Gingerly, he pulled the lithe frame closer. The scent of Jasmine hit him, wafting out of her hair, and he relaxed even further. "When'd we stop fighting?"

"I wasn't keeping track this time." She admitted, smoothing the wrinkles from his shirt, gazing at him with a mixture of affection and frustration. "I'm sorry I turned your pilot search into a vote, but I thought we would look for a new member of the crew _as_ the crew."

"It's just a can of worms." He told her, brushing black hair away from her neck. "It's a room fulla opinions that don't line up."

"Hm." She kissed the Captain, and that's all she could say. She was tired from her client, from their fighting that began as soon as she returned, from the democracy, from the drama with the boy, and she was tired from making up. Soon his rough hewn hands were on her back, and those hands were trying to figure out if her dress came undone in the back. "Hmm.. Wait." She kissed, her breath hitching. "Your bunk. Not-"

The commotion downstairs made them both pause and look at the door.

* * *

The little boy bolted through Serenity, boots clanging loudly against the floors. The girl, barefoot with her skirts whipping about her legs, chased him. He wasn't too keen on that. Picking up speed, he wheezed and coughed. It made him stumble, but he kept frantically putting distance behind himself and her.

"Come back!" River called out as the others came clambering down. "We can play! She stole my chair and all I want is to play! Promise I won't kill you!"

The running was hard on his lungs, and he wheezed with each step. Seeing Warren in the infirmary, the boy nearly collided with the door as he scrambled to get it open. Entering, he ran into a pair of legs.

Simon steadied himself. "Hello?" Looking out, he saw the other crew members bottleneck at his door. Turning, he watched the two lads in his workspace.

"Who's this?" Jayne grunted as the boy ran over and grabbed onto Warren.

Warren looked down as the child hid behind his gangly legs. "I told you I'd come find you!" He hissed, smacking the shorter one across the back of the head. A yelp was emitted for his efforts. "Nǐ zhège yúchǔn de xiǎo xiǎozi."

"I got found." The boy said grouchily. Clenching his fist up to his mouth he coughed hoarsely.

"So the question now is," Mal said as he crossed his arms and stepped into the infirmary. "What kinda scam you two are runnin'?"

"Ain't no scam." Warren said defensively.

The Captain raised his brows and rocked on his heels. The boy had gumption, he would give him that. One could be shot for gumption though, very easily. Especially if one was digging up all sorts of past hurt to wield it against him. "Really, 'cause I got you whinging you're my son, lyin' that Sarah Quentin died only after I saw her ten years after you said she passed, only to distract us so's this one could sneak on. That my boy, is a gorram scam. And I don't like scammers."

The eldest boy looked down at the smaller on, setting a hand on the thick mop of unruly sandy brown hair. "He's _seven. _We thought if you learned you had two boys, you wouldn't let is on."

Mal felt like the wind was knocked out of him.

Inara pensively wrapped her arms around herself.

Zoe drew a brow.

Simon's mouth fell open slightly.

River looked bored by information she already knew.

Kaylee beamed and tugged on Simon's arm.

"Ha!" Jayne blurted, a sneer on his lips towards his Captain's ill fortune.

The little boy coughed again. It was much more violent than before, rattling his entire body. He tried to take large gulps of air in between.

It broke Simon out of his dumbfounded trance. "That doesn't sound good." He said, pushing forward to get to the boy.

Warren got in front, protecting the smaller one.

"Son, I won't hurt him." The Doctor reassured. "That cough sounds bad, I just want to see if I can help."

Warren hesitated, keeping the little boy behind him. "He has damp lung." He announced. "The clinic said he needed dry air." Stepping away, he nudged the child forward. "Like a desert planet or a ship."

"He also needs medication." Simon got down on his haunches and looked the boy in his big blue grey eyes. "What's your name?"

"William." Warren responded. "And we don't have money for meds."

"William, I'm going to feel your throat, okay?" Simon gingerly reached out and felt the child's lymph nodes. The wheezing made his small body tremble. "I have meds for St. Carver's Pulmonary Syndrome."

William gazed down at him quizzically.

"Damp lung." Simon took the stethoscope from his shoulders. "William, can you step a little closer? I want to give your lungs a quick listen."

Warren pushed him closer before looking back up at the crew. "Seven." He told Mal again. "Didn't you say somethin' about see her eight years ago?"

Mal felt it hit him like a train. That last moment with that women. The pain and the passion. They had been such different people from their younger, more hopeful past selves. And not in the best ways. "You said you barely knew about her till a few years-"

"When I found out about him." Warren said, keeping a watchful eye on the man examining William. "She couldn't bare to raise me, so she sent me to her brother's. That much is true. But when she saw you after? She wanted another chance, chance to make things right."

He swallowed thickly. The memory of her wanting to make things right was a true one. But what had happened had only driven them apart for good. "So?"

"She had him." Warren shrugged. "Tried to raise him but then the Mercury Mile happened and… well he got bounced around till he landed with my uncle Benji a few years ago. 'S when I learned everything."

Tears stung in Mal's eyes.

"My Uncle, he's got tired of raisin' us." Warren said, his voice crackling. "I got kicked out long ago. But Will got sick and Uncle Andy and Aunt Nan don't have any coin 'cause'a the mill prices. So they cut him loose too and I got 'im." Catching eye contact with Simon, he gee the doctor a hopeful expression. "So?"

"That rustling sounds like damp lung." Simon confirmed, pulling William's shirt back down. "I'll need to run some tests, but it's entirely manageable."

"You didn't exactly welcome me with open arms." Warren told the Captain coldly. "You think you'da been any warmer if I had some sickly little runt in tow?"

Mal looked at the two, the littlest slipping back behind the eldest one. The smaller one was also another spitting image, if not more so. It was all too much though. Too much sudden news, too much of the past biting back, too many feelings of guilt for all the things that went wrong. "He gets the test too." He ordered Simon. It was all he could tell himself to do.

Standing up straight, Simon slid Mal a look that told him he was the most insensitive monster to ever run the ship "Of course, Captain." Simon gave a sarcastic smile. "Full check up while we're at it."

"Don't care, as long as I see that test." Mal turned back around to the others standing around with their nose in his business. "You didn't buy tickets to see this, go run off and work." He growled. "We gotta job soon." Everyone except Inara left. He looked at her, feeling hollowed out and left to hang as an ache began to consume him, and walked past her stunned figure to escape it all.

The boys looked out at him desperately.

Simon steadied himself. "I'll prep another test." He sighed. "Warren can you get him up on the table? We'll check for damp lung."

* * *

Emerson sat at the pilot's chair. Everyone had charged out of the upper deck, leaving her there to finish setting course.

"Yeah, really great choice of ship there, Emer." She muttered to herself.

* * *

Translation

Nǐ zì jiāo xì fèn àihào zhě! Xīwàng nǐ de shēngzhíqì làn diào!: You inbred dung lovers! I hope your genitals rot away!

wǒ de xiǎo zhēnzhū: My little pearl

Wǒ de: Mine

Nǐ zhège yúchǔn de xiǎo xiǎozi.: You stupid little brat.

* * *

**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated**


	4. Chapter 4: Emotions

"You're so skinny." She giggled, running her hands down his body and looking at his young, sweet face. "Don't they feed you any at the base?"

"They do." Mal pulled her close, kissing her neck. "But it's basic, Sarah, so then they go make us hike a whole day." Smiling against her skin, he relished her touch. Leave hadn't come soon enough. Seeing her at the dock, he had nearly taken her there. Thankfully they had made it back to her Mama's house before they had torn the clothes off of one other.

"Between your Ma and mine, you'll get fixed up." She caught his mouth for a long, thoughtful kiss.

Mal groaned, the kiss was giving him all sorts of impure ideas. "How is your Ma? Barely got to say hi runnin' inta your room." He chuckled as his hands wandered all over her lithe, curvy frame.

"She's good. Store is the store." Sarah slipped her hand on top of the one that cupped her buttocks. "Boy you gotta give me a minute." Sarah warned huskily as the hand escaped hers and slipped back around the front between her legs.

"Ain't seen you for nearly seven months." Mal breathed, his eyes clouded with lust but his mouth all lopsided and dopey. "And they ship me out in a week, we gotta make it count."

Sarah settled against the pillows, arching her back slightly to all of the attention as the hand wandered up to stroke her breasts. He was working hard on that second round, he really was. "When-when do you get your orders?"

"I got 'em." He drew little circles on her skin. It was soft, yet kissed by Shadow's sun. "I asked for front lines with Zoe and Bill. We're goin' to Beaumonde to help the 87th."

Sarah's eyes snapped open and she sat up, looking at him in disbelief. "Front lines? _Front lines_? What happened to the desk job?"

"Yeah, about that." He settled closer, voice somewhat guilty. "I uh-I don't think pushin' papers is really how ta fight in this wa-"

She pushed his hand away, propping herself up on her elbows. "Malcolm, you said you'd get a desk job. Then I'd follow you to whatever base you'd be stationed at."

"And that can still happen! Just after this tour." He sat up with her. "Bǎobèi relax, I really wanna make a difference. Me and Zoe and Billy, we're all in the same platoon! We're gonna watch each other's backs! We're gonna make our stand against those purple bellies." Reaching for her, she pushed him away again.

"You're gonna get killed!" Her raised voice crackled, anticipating heartache. "I'm gonna get some call from your Ma, sayin' how some soldiers came over and said how brave you were-"

"Won't be like that!" He had a stubborn fix in his brow.

"It was like that when Ezra took front lines." There was a bitterness in her voice, remembering a brother long dead. "And now it's gonna-" She couldn't finish as it died in a sob.

Mal watched her, not knowing what to do. He was hurt she wasn't supportive, but also felt some remorse for Ezra as well as guilt for springing it on her like so. "Sarah-"

"Why didn't you call me about this?" She wiped her eyes and slung her feet over the edge of the bed. In the dark, she groped for her robe.

He opened his mouth, but then stopped. "'Cause."

"Because I'd disagree?"

Malcolm's shoulders slumped as she turned away from him. "Maybe so." He mustered out of his chest.

"Malcolm Reynolds, I know too many boys and girls that are either on the front lines or died there-"

"And I'll simply be the former!"

Sarah pulled on her robe, clasping her hand on her mouth to stifle the sob that so desperately wanted to escape. "I thought we were in this together."

"We are!" He strained.

"We aren't if you make decisions like this without me." She dipped her head. Feeling his palm run up her back, she slouched away. "I think it's best you go home."

"But Sarah-" Malcolm's voice crackled as dread crept into his belly.

"Please go home, Malcolm."

* * *

Inara found him in his bunk.

It took her awhile to actually venture down. She knew she's find him, but in what state was a gamble. He was seated at his desk with a glass of the scotch he kept in the bottom drawer. One hand was on the glass, toying with the cut, while the other lay in his lap. He was long gone. Staring out past the wall into a life long ago.

A rustle pulled him out of his youth, and he saw her coming over. Averting his eyes, he turned away, not wanting anyone but his own misery.

Inara ignored it. She sidled up to the chair and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. Neither spoke. The Companion simply watched him take a sip, set the glass down, and continue to fiddle with it.

Slowly, he leaned his head to the side till it brushed against her arm. Soon enough her fingers were massaging his scalp, working away at the ache that had built up in his skull. With a long, heavy sigh he shut his eyes.

"Do you want to talk about her?" Inara asked softly, carefully.

There was a pause, she felt his body tense for a moment before settling back into her fingers. Finally exhaling he seemed to draw further into himself.

It made her heart ache. Leaning forward, she used both hands to rub his shoulders before cradling his head. "Why don't you come lay down?" She kissed his ear, hoping for some response as she applied all of her training. "We don't have to talk, we can just try to relax."

He pulled away from her, leaning into the desk.

"Mal-"

"No." It came out strangled, pained. Soft and full of more hurt than two letters should ever carry.

Inara took a deep breath, pushing away her own feelings. Stepping in one last time, she took his head and pressed a kiss to his crown. "Wǒ ài nǐ." It was a soft, concerned whisper. Standing, looking over the slumped, hollowed out figure that looked less like Malcolm Reynolds, she turned and climbed up the ladder.

Zoe was lingering outside of the hatch. Inara met her eyes, and she could tell that even the normally calm and collected soldier was concerned.

"He doesn't want me there." Inara said as calmly as possible.

Zoe nodded silently, placing a hand briefly on the Companion's shoulder before going down the hatch herself.

Inara watched the door shut. Taking a moment, she composed herself. Mal's pain was raw and was something that she had not quite seen before in any person. It was a mixture of the war, of Shadow, and of her. Once feeling steady enough, she ventured out into the galley where Jayne was cleaning his gun.

"He's all messed up, ain't he?" The merc noted nonchalantly. His fingers deftly disassembled Vera over a carefully spread out towel, his way of keeping busy while everyone else was knee deep in all of that stupid kid drama.

"He's been through a lot." Inara murmured, going to the stove and turning the burner on the kettle was on. As she did, Simon came in with the boys following closely behind. The pair were in the basic cotton pants and tees the doctor kept in stock in the infirmary for emergency situations. Their hair was also curiously wet and plastered to their heads. She watched the two as their eyes wandered around the room. Something told her neither had ever been on a ship before.

"Go take a seat." Simon told them, seeing the Companion, he retreated to the kitchen. "How is he?"

She didn't now what to say and rolled her lips into her mouth before offering up the one response she could. "Poor."

He could see all of the meanings the word held on her face. Nodding, slowly, he began to pull out a set of bowls.

"How are they?" She whispered.

"They both have damp lung." He reported in a low tone. "Probably due to not having access to clean water. The eldest is in early stages so I can treat him and cure it. The youngest has had it long enough that it's moderate. He'll need an inhaler from here on out to manage it after I do a round of injections to get the inflammation and fluid down."

William coughed, catching their attention. He sniffled and looked at Jayne cautiously, who gave him the side eye as he oiled a the barrel. The big man trusted no one with his beautiful Vera.

"What happened to their clothes?"

"In the wash on sanitary. I had to… de-louse and de-flea them… and maybe give them some pills that will kill off any internal parasites." Simon told her with a bit of a wince. "Warren was explaining the worker dorms and the conditions seem to be on par with nearly slave labor."

"Poor things."

"I've never had to de-worm a person before." He sighed. "First time for everything."

Inara nodded, getting back to making her tea. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Pour two glasses of milk?" He said, lifting the lid to Kaylee's stew that had been cooking on the stove all day. The smell, rich and savory, wafted up and curled through the air.

"We have other things to-"

"They _need_ milk. Especially the little one."

"Why're you so big?" William half coughed out to the giant man looming over the other side of the table.

"Why you so runty?" Jayne sneered back, wanting to be left alone with his gun.

"He's very small for his age." Simon agreed with Jayne to Inara. She handed him one of the loaves of bread they had bought on Perth and chilled. "Thank you."

"So you're saying they need to be fattened up?" She asked half jokingly, pouring two mugs of cold milk.

"They have deficiencies common with the malnutrition associated with poverty on the Rim. So yes." He told her, cutting two thick slices of bread and laying them on the top of each bowl. "Would you care for some dinner while I'm at it?"

"No thank you." Taking the mugs she walked over to the table and Simon followed. "You two hungry?" She asked, setting the mugs in front of them as Simon slid the bowls onto the table.

"Xièxiè, M'am, Dr. Tam." Warren said in utter disbelief.

Inara put a hand on his shoulder. "Bié kèqì. Just tell us if you two need seconds."

"We can't have two growing boys hungry. And please, call me Simon."

William's eyes widened slightly at the large helping of hot food. The savory scents that floated up from the broth made his mouth water. Leaning over, he tucked into his meal and ignored the others.

Warren elbowed his brother.

"Xièxiè." He said quickly between bites.

Inara fetched her tea before returning to Simon. The pair stood back and watched the boys hungrily wolf down their food. The doctor slipped a hand on her shoulder and leaned into her ear. "I can watch them."

"What about River?"

"She went to her room to lay down." He reassured. "I don't see them being up much longer. Been washed, now fed, they're exhausted, and Kaylee's already set them up in bunk rooms."

"And Kaylee?"

"With Mayday."

Inara nodded her head slowly, torn between helping and retreating to her shuttle. "If you need me, I'll be in my shuttle." She compromised.

Simon pressed a kiss to her cheek. "You have my utmost sympathies, Mèimei." He exclaimed sincerely.

"Thank you. If he wants me, he can find me in there." She said tightly, composing herself as she picked up her skirts and headed for her shuttle. Opening the door, she found a thin, slouched figure on her bed. "River?"

River looked up at her, her eyes pained and tired. "Too much."

Rushing to the girl, Inara gathered her up in her arms. "Oh Bǎobèi."

"Too much emotion. It's everywhere." River groaned, nuzzling against Inara. "He's so sad it's swallowing him whole. It's like the big fish gobbling him up. Makes him _mean_, gives him scales." Her dark, wet eyes fixated on the wall closest to the vicinity of the crew bunks. "The past is a wound, and it bleeds and it's _everywhere." _Turning to Inara, she whimpered. "And they're scared he hates them, and they'll have to leave." She shook her head, trying to knock the thoughts away. _"_It's safer in here. Further away… and there's jasmine and tea."

Inara passed the girl her mug of tea, watching her gulp it down as she brushed the wild tendrils of hair from River's face. "I'm so sorry you have to hear all of it."

"I'm sorry I didn't knock. It's so impolite." She whimpered miserably.

"You always know you're welcome in here."

"Except when there's sex."

"Except when there's sex." Patting River's back, she hugged her close as the girl slowly began to relax. Inara did her best to expedite the process by clearing her own mind. While the poor girl since Miranda was subject to pick up bits and pieces of their thoughts and have some control over them, the strongest emotions could wreak havoc on her. Kaylee was arguably the best at providing River thoughts to calm herself with. The infectious positivity of their mechanic was like a mental salve. However Inara took a deep breath and tried her best to be what River needed, as Kaylee was indisposed of.

"That's nice." River told her, shutting her eyes as Inara's meditating served to be a buffer against rougher weather. "Very, very, very nice."

"I try." Pressing a kiss to the top of River's forehead, she stroked her back. "Alright, Sweetie, let's get you settled in."

* * *

Translation

Bǎobèi: Baby

Wǒ ài nǐ: I love you

Xièxiè: Thank you

Bié kèqì: You're welcome

Mèimei: sister

**A/N: Reviews are always appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5: Daddies

"Remember when we did _crime?_" Jayne growled in annoyance as he poured another shot.

"Remember when those two children came aboard and needed us? Oh yes." Simon quipped back as he slipped into the chair across from Jayne with a mug of coffee. As he did so Kaylee came in with May bundled up tight. Seeing his girlfriend, he lit up. "Hey you."

"Hey." She whispered, carefully toting the baby over.

"She out?" Lifting his chin, he peered into Kaylee's arms as she stooped to show off the exhausted May. The child's eyelids fluttered, and her tongue protruded slightly from between her lips.

"Like a light." She giggled. "I'm gonna go lay her down. The boys?"

"Asleep. Inara has River."

Jayne rolled his eyes.

Simon pressed a kiss to a chubby hand that was dangling in front of him. "This poor girl." He whispered sweetly.

"I know. So abused." Leaning down, she kissed him before taking May to Zoe's bunk.

Simon's eyes followed her out of the galley, a happy smile playing on his lips. Catching something out of the corner of his eye, he stopped. "What?"

Jayne's look of disgust relaxed some as he slid the bottle of whiskey across the table to Simon. "You two are so gorram jiātíng de, makes me sick."

"You know, we're thinking about buying a white picket fence and a dog." Simon dead panned as he poured some of the liquor into his coffee. "Really want to up the ante around here."

"I liked it better when you were stupid and oblivious." He leered.

"_Please_ repeat that next time you're on my table."

"Jayne being mean?" Kaylee chirped as she re-entered.

"Hell I ain't mean. You two are just sweet enough ta make a man toss his cookies." He complained. "What with you, Mayday, now these gorram whelps of Mal's, ship's a gorram floatin' nursery."

"I ain't pregnant, Jayne." Kaylee said sourly, walking towards them with a mug from the kitchen sink. Returning to the table she took a swipe at him, smacking his bicep. "Just put on a few."

Simon furrowed his brows in protest of the idea that his bǎobèi had put on a few.

"I wasn't sayin' ya got fat. Just this place ain't a pirate ship no more. It's all… soft." He grimaced. "And I'd never tell ya that."

"We still get shot at plenty." Simon reassured, pouring some whiskey into Kaylee's mug as she sat next to him. "As your medic I can attest to that."

"The Captain will get used to bein' a daddy and everything will get back to normal." The mechanic took a sip. "They'll get used to the ship, War can take a job on crew, it'll be shiny."

"That may take a while." Simon sighed. "Zoe still hasn't come out of his quarters."

"You know, I love my daddy." Kaylee said absently. "I have four brothers, but he always had time for me, always had a place in his shop for me ta tinker." Her eyes softened up, looking out fondly.

Jayne settled, enjoying her story.

"He told me "Kaylee, if anyone one'a ya goes to school, it's gotta be you. You got a good head on your shoulders. You're the smart one." 'Course, planet took a turn of the worse and I couldn't go ta school," Her shoulders slumped some in disappointment "but he always made sure I was learnin'. Always wanted me knowin' about the latest and greatest." She smiled up at the two men.

Simon placed a hand on top of her own and gave it a squeeze.

"Didn't know my Pa." Jayne said softly, his gruff demeanor melting away. "My momma raised us all by herself till I was near ten. Then she married Matty." Taking a drink, he pursed his lips thoughtfully. "He weren't my real Pa, but he always treated me like I was his. Raised me the best he could with Momma." The merc smiled wistfully. "He told me just before I left. "Son, you're good at two things; huntin' and protectin'. Proud you found a trade that caters ta both."" He batted away tears. "Matty's got damp lung himself. Can't work like he used to. So I try to help, send what I can. Least I can do, ya know?" Jayne's voice cracked with emotion.

Kaylee gave him a warm, sweet grin. "Jayne, that's really nice."

"I'm a little touched myself." The Doctor agreed with a smile of his own.

"Yeah," He sniffled "well he'd want me to get _paid_. Which is why we gotta wǒmen de lǘ lā wǒmen tóu shàng and get this gorram job." The merc said tersely, effectively killing the moment.

"Someone say something about a job?" The new pilot asked as she came in from the helm.

"We got one." Kaylee reassured, beckoning Emerson over. "Come over here, tell us about your Daddy. We're swappin' stories."

"And we have liquor." Simon bribed, lifting the bottle as if it were a prize.

Emerson's dark eyes shifted. "Hows about I don't talk about my parents, 'cause I hate them."

The doctor and the mechanic frowned in disappointment.

"_But,_ I'll tell you about the time I got pinched on Meadow. Because that involved a crate full of goats and a cargo container of tomatoes that we were smuggling drugs in." She plopped unceremoniously into a chair. "Also? Had a bunch hookers as passengers."

Kaylee leaned in wide eyed, already enthralled. The doctor slid the whiskey bottle over to the pilot, who caught it effortlessly, uncorked it, and poured some into her mouth.

Jayne grinned. "Hell I like this story already."

* * *

Zoe didn't talk for the longest time.

She just watched him, stewing in his own sorrow and pain. It wasn't a sight she had never seen before. He was just as broken and lonesome right after they had gotten out of the POW camp on Hera following Serenity Valley. Hell, they both had been. But it was returning, all of it was pouring back into his head with Sarah at the lead.

"You know," Zoe finally broke the silence as she sat on his bed, her fingers loosely wrapped around the whiskey bottle she had stolen from the desk. "I can do this all night. Watch you." She casually took a swill and waited for a reaction.

"Go away, Zoe." He said weakly.

"I know she ain't a happy past, Sir." Zoe ran her thumb across the label. "Hell I was there. I was really there for the second time, when you were both war torn and pieces that no longer fit. But that was then."

"Zoe, shuddup."

"You know I don't question your business 'lest it's bad-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Mal exploded, slamming his fist on the desk before whirling up.

Zoe rose purposefully and stood toe to toe with him, looking at the ugly, broken man straight in the eyes. "Or what?"

The way she said it to him was so calm, so non-threatening, that Mal felt unable to lash out again. She was simply there, cool and steady, like it was a firefight instead of him snarling and throwing a fit.

Zoe grabbed him by the forearm and forcefully moved him to his bed, pushing him down to sit. "You know, normally I'd let you stew for a few days. Let you disappear down here and tear up your quarters while the crew ran itself. But you don't got that luxury, Sir. We gotta job."

Mal wiped his lip and gazed up at her. She was like a god among men under the light; tall and imposing, ready to reign judgement down on a man.

"The first good soundin' job since Miranda." She scoffed in sheer disbelief at their luck. "We gotta land this, or else we're back wanderin'. And we can't afford that." Grabbing his desk chair, she went and pulled it forward. "But to get this job, this string'a jobs, we need _you_."

There was a long pause as he stared at his own hands. "Y'know, Zo, if she had told me… all those years ago… I would have wanted 'em. Would have leapt at the idea of makin' her an honest woman… Zhè jiāng ràng wǒ gāoxìng_."_

_"_Wasn't meant to be that way." She sighed. "You both made mistakes, choices, gotta settle up now."

He was quiet, taking a deep breath.

"You ain't the man she fell in love with, I'll give you that." Zoe said honestly. "However, you also ain't as bad a man as you say you are."

Mal scoffed. "Whatever you say, Zo."

"I don't gotta say nothin', I just gotta drop Mayday in your arms and you turn into some yīyā xué yǔ de shǎguā." She teased. "Love her, treat her well-"

"But I can hand her back when I get tired of her." Mal countered.

"That you can. But the point is that it's not like you don't got it in ya." She leaned forward, and her face softened. "You know, Mayday and I? We're lucky. She's gotta boat fulla people ta love her and snuggle her and watch her while I go run around with you like some shǎzi and try not to get shot." Zoe's breath rattled as she tried to steady herself, and her voice came out hushed. "She's gotta family. But dammit if there ain't a day that goes by that I wouldn't move heaven and earth if it meant Wash could just _hold her._" She fought back tears, and had to look away to keep them from being seen. "Just for a moment."

"I ain't Wash."

"I know. But those boys don't know any different." Zoe paused before slowly getting up out of the chair. Ambling over to the ladder, she stopped when her fingers reached the rungs. "And sir,"

He looked up.

"You might wanna talk to Inara."

* * *

"Just, all doped up!" Emerson barked joyfully, trying in vain to catch her breath.

Jayne slapped his leg as he doubled over. Kaylee and Simon had devolved into a conjoined puddle of giggles, with Kaylee snuggled up on his lap.

"And they were so _paranoid, _running about like-"

Zoe's boots clattered on the steps. Kaylee was the first to see her and instantly sobered, poking Simon to notify him as well.

Simon's grin died. Zoe looked like she had been to the gates of hell and back. Like she had to reach down deep and face things one wasn't supposed to. Her face was hardened, far from entertained by their drunken mirth.

Emerson and Jayne quickly followed suit at shutting up and calming down.

Zoe looked the crew over. They were all red faced and bleary eyed, with Simon slowly realizing he needed to rethink where his hands were positioned on is girlfriend's body.

"Mayday's asleep in your room." Kaylee offered first with a bit of a slur.

"Boys are asleep." Simon added. "And River."

"I- piloted stuff?" Emerson offered awkwardly, scared she was going catch a world of suffering from the amazon.

Jayne simply stared at Zoe, waiting.

"Go to bed." She told them all, tiredly.

The galley cleared out quickly.

Zoe sighed and went to her bunk.

* * *

**Translations:**

jiātíng de: domestic

Bǎobèi: baby

Wǒmen de lǘ lā wǒmen tóu shàng: Pull our heads out of our asses

Zhè jiāng ràng wǒ gāoxìng: This would have made me happy

Yīyā xué yǔ de shǎguā: Babbling fool

* * *

**A/N:** Like it? Hate it? Meh it? Reviews are always appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6: Slumber Party

The door to the shuttle clicked.

It roused Inara, who slowly rose from the comfort of her bed to find the couch Riverless. Pulling on a robe and slippers, she headed out. Walking onto the gangway, she was there just in time to see River slip off towards the common room. The Companion followed suit, her pace quickening until she caught up with the Reader. She was lingering in the hallway of the guest bunk rooms, her head twisting about, as if each wall had an opinion. "Ri-"

"I told you to go to your bunk!" The voice came from within one of the rooms, the room River veered towards.

Inara took a step in front River, staring at the door as a whine came from a much smaller voice.

"Tummy ache." River whimpered.

The door opened and William ran into Inara's legs, stumbling back to show her wide, frightened eyes wet with unshed tears. Mal's eyes. They made her heart flip. "Is everything alright?"

He sniffled, toddling back a few steps and gazing up at her in surprise.

His brother came up from behind. "Yes?" Warren asked, startled by the company.

"Is everything alright?" She offered once more. "Heard quite a commotion."

William coughed, then looked down at his feet silently, guiltily.

"He's just having problems sleeping." Warren divulged with the annoyance of being forced to be a parent to his little brother. "He's gonna go _back_ to his room, though." He said pointedly. "Sorry about the noise."

The Companion rolled her lips into her mouth, watching the little boy who was using one of Simon's shirts as a nightgown trying his best not to cry. "Did you have a nightmare?" She asked softly.

The shaggy little head nodded a yes as a sniffle escaped. "And my stomach aches." He muttered.

"Eat too much at dinner?" She quizzed sweetly.

"Stuffed himself silly." Warren rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Well it hurts." William whined, looking like a child that desperately wanted someone to scoop him up and coddle him.

"Tummy ache." River repeated.

Inara hesitated. It wasn't like her to hesitate. Her training had sculpted her into a naturing, patient person. However her mind still whispered at her that the boy was Mal's from a life long ago, and she was still working through that. Dismissing the notions, she moved in and gingerly placed a hand atop his head. His hair was soft, like down. "I can help with both." She offered a hand.

William paused, thinking things through before accepting her offer as well as her hand.

"Warren, you're welcome to come too." Inara offered over her shoulder as she led William and River off.

Warren watched the trio leave. He lingered, but eventually followed.

Leading the group up the stairs, Inara took them to the shuttle. "So how do you like Serenity so far?"

William glanced up at her. She was so beautiful and warm he wanted to trust her. But he wasn't sure. "It's dark, and grey." He said honestly, a little furrow in his brow as he was still deciding on Inara. "And there are lots of noises."

"I suppose those can be frightening." She opened the door. "Have you ever been on a ship?"

"When I was a baby. But I don't 'member that." He stopped, not knowing what to think about the shuttle's lush interior. It was so rich and inviting dripping in silks and fringe; like nothing he'd ever seen before in his short life. "This-This yours?"

"It is." Watching him, she took in his awe and hesitation before giving him a nudge inside. She ushered the others in, with Warren gawking as River retreated back to her couch. "Why don't you two climb up on the bed and take a seat, I'll go make some tea." They wandered over in the direction of the bed and Inara went to her tea serving set.

"Wa. Ma'm-"

"Inara." She corrected Warren.

"Inara, your shuttle is very… shiny." He muttered, his eyes still lost in all the tapestries.

"Why thank you." Lighting the burner, she set the kettle in the samovar. "You made an awfully big leap coming onboard."

"We had to. He's our father." Warren explained shakily. "Our family. We don't got that."

"I admire your courage." Turning, she headed over to a chest and took out a thick, plush blanket. Going to the bed she sat on the edge next to William and draped it over him. "Here, let's get you two comfortable."

"Oh no, M'am-Inara." Warren scooted away. "We're fine."

"Your little brother's have trouble sleeping. We're going to fix that." It was clear to her Warren didn't want to get too comfortable around strangers. He was older and there was less trust. "You can have the blanket at the foot of the bed if you'd like."

The youngest looked down at the blanket wrapped around him in awe, his little hands carefully feeling the soft fabric that was a deep plum color. Inara stacked some pillows behind him as he studied it. Suddenly he felt a hand run through his hair, and he stopped thinking about the blanket. Looking up at her, he found her kind, comforting face.

"You want to talk about your nightmare?" Inara petted his hair, trying not to get lost in his eyes. They were so close to Mal's; so big and blue it made her uncomfortable.

He shook his head and let out a yawn. She guided him closer and he leaned against her side.

"How about the stomach? Still ache?"

"I had two helpings of dinner. Then Miss Kaylee had a big box of candy and she gave us some." He said uncomfortably, cradling his upset stomach.

"He looked like one'a those gooses. Still kinda does." The oldest teased sleepily. Even though he felt tired, he watched her carefully. The way she coddled William, using the back of her fingers to pet his sick belly and letting him snuggle up to her was near maternal. However Warren wasn't ready to buy into that just yet.

Inara smiled fondly at the thought of Kaylee spoiling the boys with some of her sweets. "Next time you should slow down when you're eating, that way you don't get sick."

"Was hungry." William grunted, settling back against the pillows and picking at the blanket. "And it weren't protein or congee."

The kettle hissed and Inara rose. She found the right tea blend and placed it in a stainer, carefully pouring the water from the kettle into the strainer and into the cup. Repeating the action with another cup. "River."

"Better now." She murmured sleepily from her couch. Minds had settled back and the winds were calmer once more. Nestling her head against one of the plush pillows, the psychic sighed heavily. "Knew you'd help them. You're good at helping. Good at fixing people."

Inara couldn't help but smile with a hint of pride at the comment. "Not even a cup?"

"Shuìjiào." River mumbled, pulling the blanket up so that it swallowed her entirely

Set the cups on the tray, she nodded slightly. "Ránhòu tiánmì de mèng."

The boys watched her returning with delicate looking cups on an ornate tray. Both did there best not to fidget. They weren't entirely sure why, but she made them feel like they needed to be on their best behavior.

"Here we go." Passing Warren a cup, she then sat and helped William sit up. "It's a little hot, so be careful."

The little one's eyes studied the dark liquid suspiciously. "This'll help my belly ache?"

"It'll soothe it away." She reassured with a voice that had some extra honey to it, taking a sip of her own cup. "It's mostly ginger and mint."

"It's good." Warren coaxed his little brother by taking a drink himself.

William cautiously took a sip. Not put off by the temperature, he took longer drink. It was followed by a pleased 'Mmm.' sound. "Tastes like peppermints."

"I know, that's why I like it." Watching him take another long drink, Inara chuckled. "Slow down xiǎo gèzi, that was what got you in trouble in the first place." He looked up at her sheepishly, a sheepishness she had seen many times before by a much larger model, and she responded by setting her cup down. Reaching over Inara began to rub his back in slow, soothing circles. "How's the ache?"

William yawned, leaning against her and taking a much smaller sip. "Better." His fingers played with the dainty porcelain. He ran them along the brushstrokes of the paint; tracing flowers and geometric shapes.

"Just take your time." Inara coached. "There's no rush."

"'Kay." He took another sip and settled closer.

"And how are you doing, Warren?"

"Just fine, Inara." He replied, pushing the shaggy brown waves of hair out of his face. "Thank you for the tea, it's good."

"I know William isn't too fond of Serenity-"

"Your shuttle's nice." The littlest corrected. "And you can call me Will. Everyone does."

She gave him an affectionate smile. "Well Will's not fond of most of Serenity, but what do you think?"

Warren smiled and he looked so much like her swain it hurt her. "It's a nice ship. What do you transport?"

"Just about anything, if the price is right." Inara studied the flecks of tea leaves in her cup, wondering how was best to break to the boys that they were on a pirate ship.

"What's your job?"

"I'm a Companion." The eldest flushed to the news and in return Inara offered a disarming smile that kept his ears from getting any redder. He studied the bed they were seated on with new eyes. "I rent this shuttle from Captain Reynolds, but I also assist in other areas."

"Ain't Companions really fancy?" William blurted sleepily.

"I suppose so." She chuckled. He was slipping into sleep, so she tugged the blanket up around his shoulders.

"I think what my brother is trying to say is is that it's surprising to see a Companion on a ship like… this." The eldest gestured grandly to the rest of the ship.

"Perhaps, but I love this ship and the crew. We're all very close." Inara caught the cup as William's fingers were relaxing. "Dear, take one more sip and you're done." helping him taking one last sip to finish off the tea, she set the cup aside. "There we go." Suddenly small arms were awkwardly wrapping around her, and a face nuzzled into her robe. "Hm, how's your tummy?"

"Good." He said drowsily, shutting his eyes as she kept rubbing his back. He let out a mighty yawn, his breathing slowing. Inara had officially won him over. She was kind and safe, and her tea tasted like peppermint candies. What more could he want?

Warren began to get up. "Let me take him back down-"

"Noooo." The little one whimpered, glomming onto the Companion. "My room's dark and noisy. I don't like it."

Waving the big brother off, the Companion felt compelled to mother the little one some. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his hair, petting out the soft sandy brown locks. Within the span of the visit, her hesitation had melted away.

* * *

Mal knew Zoe was right. He couldn't stew.

He kept telling himself that as he exited his bunk. He had to get over it, the baby daddy nonsense, and get to Highgate. The Captain also needed Inara. It was more of a want, but it was a deep want. As frustrating as she could be, she cared for him. She was second on his list for the night though. He had to check the first thing off.

"Simon!" He rapped on the door of the bunk, whispering loudly. "Simon!"

The door opened and a groggy young doctor glowered at him. "What?!"

Mal opened his mouth, then paused. "Are you drunk?"

"No?" Simon lied poorly as Kaylee pushed in front of him, wrapped up in a fuzzy robe.

"Captain, do you know what time it is?" She growled, clearly wanting to be cuddling her Core boy whilst in deep sleep.

He paused, trying to conjure up the time. "No?"

"That's 'cause it's _late!" _ She snapped.

"Nǐ dàodǐ shì wèishéme?" Simon half yawned as the mechanic started leaning against him.

"It's been six hours."

The doctor rolled his eyes and disappeared briefly to fetch his robe and slippers. "Fine." He grunted, shuffling down the corridor and to his infirmary. Opening the door and switching on the lights, he wandered over to his equipment and grabbed the print out as Mal and Kaylee trailed in.

"Congratulations, it's a boy." Simon told Mal dryly. "I'm sorry, _two boys_."

"Ain't you ever heard of doctor patient confidentiality?" The Captain griped as Kaylee hopped up on the counter.

"You just don't want anyone to know." She told him, turning and giving Simon a prompting look. "So?"

"They're yours."

"I _knew it."_ Kaylee said with all the scandelous enthusiam one would have watching a soap opera twist unfold.

"She's in the room!" Mal squalled like a wet cat. "What ever happened to those gorram oaths you took!"

"Since I took up with you they've become more... Like a set of guidelines to _roughly_ follow… Occasionally… Sometimes… When I feel like it." Simon shrugged. "But they _are_ is yours, 100 percent. Two more Reynolds men in the 'Verse… Shàngdì bāngzhù wǒmen." He ended grouchily.

Kaylee giggled. Her honey was worked up.

"I don't want this getting out." Mal told them both as he began to pace the length of the infirmary like a caged tiger.

"Why? So you can leave him on Highgate?" Simon fought back a yawn.

"You can't do that." Kaylee admonished. "They're family. They belong right here."

"Listen." Mal looked at Simon seriously. "Are you _sure?"_

"For god sakes, _yes._"

"Hey, that boy fumbled on those dates-"

"Because he had a gǎo zále childhood were everyone _lied _to him." Simon said in annoyance. "If there was something remotely wrong with them, River would have reacted. Now may we please go back to bed? We can discuss this more in the morning."

"Listen you two, it's my news to tell."

"Warren and William should both know." Simon told him with a hint of aggression. "They did agree to the test, they should be given the results."

Mal spun about to face the doctor. "Now Doc, you don't go telling anything-"

"I'm telling them." Simon declared cantankerously, stifling back another yawn. "But before that I'm going to bed, where I was before someone started banging on our cabin door in the middle of the gorram night." Walking over, he helped Kaylee down and left. "Turn off the lights when you're done."

Mal dragged his hand across his face. The color was gone from his cheeks, and he felt ready to keel over from stress. "Wèishéme zǒng shì wǒ? Shì yùnqì zài nǎlǐ? Tā mā de." He muttered to himself. The Captain found his way to the common room where he lingered, not quite knowing what to do. He had been banking on the test coming up negative so he could kick the two to the curb and be done with them. However he could no longer do that. Such was his luck, or supreme lack there of.

It wasn't pain that hit him, he had already gone through that. Yet there was numbness, disbelief, and it was enough to get him to head upstairs and seek refuge with the one person who managed to put up with his horse shit. However he saw Warren exiting her shuttle, and he froze.

"Hey." He called out hoarsely.

Warren seized up like someone had caught him stealing a painting straight off of a wall. Turning, he looked to the Captain nervously. "Hey?"

Mal knit his brows as he padded over in his t-shirt and sweatpants. "What were you doin' in there?"

"Xiǎodì couldn't sleep, so she let us come up and have tea?" He supplied, knowing what one could assume when one exited a Companion's quarters.

"Huh." Mal exhaled, looking from the boy to the shuttle door. Ke noticed how tall he was, how skinny he was. Kind of made him wonder who the hell was feeding the kid. "Where's- where's the little one?"

"She's got him. He's all fussy, doesn't want to leave." Warren saw his opportunity and slipped off as Malcolm wandered over to the door.

"Easy." Inara's voice cooed as Mal found her seated on her couch, the little boy in her arms as she rubbed his back and got him to sleep. Despite his age, he was small and light. Setting William down, she put his head on a pillow and fixed the blanket he was wrapped in. Pulling another throw off of the couch, she draped it over him for good measure. Inara could see Mal lingering there in the corner of her eye. As she left Will, he quietly stepped in.

"Seems you got a slumber party in here." He mused, eyeing River and the wee boy.

"Some people have problems sleeping." She noted, breezing past him over to her bed and picking up the tea cups to bus them to the tray were she kept her dirty dishes. Inara was determined not to bring it up first, he had to.

His eyes kept trained on the boy. Will. He had to remember. Will, with that round little baby face and big blue eyes. "How'd you get so good at motherin'?"

"I wouldn't call it mothering." She countered, heading to her bed.

"You do it to River and Mayday, now this one."

"Captain, as a trained Companion I'm in the business of helping people find and/or execute their needs." She explained demurely as she began to turn down the bed. "Children have the most basic of needs. They want to feel safe and loved. A simple training house girl can fulfill that."

"Huh."

"We need to have Kaylee fix up a nightlight tomorrow for Will's room. He also doesn't like all of the noise, but I don't know what to do about tha-"

Mal's hands snaked around her waist, stopping her. Burying his nose into her dark, silken hair, he breathed deep. "I'm sorry." He said softly. "Don't say that near enough."

Inara's hands slipped on top of the palms resting flat on her belly. "Did you get through what you needed to?" She asked quietly.

"Enough." He sighed, finally mustering out. "They're mine."

"I'd be more surprised if they weren't." She confessed, patting one of the hands. Truth be told, Inara didn't know what to feel as she mulled the information over. Of course the boys were Mal's, yet the official announcement made it all the more real. On top of that she was somewhat taken with them. And yet at the same time it hurt, even though she'd never admit to that.

"I don't know this."

"There's enough of us around to figure it out." Inara reassured, turning around and putting on a brave face. She stole a kiss and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "You seem to forget this crew excels at adapting to new challenges."

Mal wasn't sold on the idea, and it showed by the way his tired eyes swept to the side. Inara reined him back in though. She snaked a hand up and scratched his scalp while giving him a much more beckoning lip lock. Pulling his shirt up and off, she kissed his chest.

"Come on." She maneuvered him towards the bed. "You need rest, you have crime lined up."

Exhausted, he obliged.

* * *

**Translation**

Wa: Whoa

Shuìjiào: Sleep

Ránhòu tiánmì de mèng.: Sweet dreams then.

xiǎo gèzi: little man

Nǐ dàodǐ shì wèishéme?: Why the hell are you here?

Shàngdì bāngzhù wǒmen: God help us all

Gǎo zále: Fucked up

Wèishéme zǒng shì wǒ? Shì yùnqì zài nǎlǐ? Tā mā de.: Why it is always me? Where is the luck? Fuck

Xiǎodì: Little brother

* * *

**A/N:** Crime is indeed lined up. Reviews are always shiny.


	7. Chapter 7: Xiǎodì

Mal woke up next to Inara.

She was already up, seated against the headboard and sipping some tea. He could tell by the way she was fixating, she hadn't noticed him awake. Slowly he rose to lean against the headboard with her.

Even then it took her a moment to stop staring at River and William. Both were still fast asleep on their couch. During the middle of the night they had shifted in their sleep and jumbled together, looking like a pair of kittens tangled up. William a had a fix in his sweet little brow, yet River was seemingly content she had a body to cuddle. Turning, she tried to rid her face of the consternation that it had before looking at Mal. She flashed a Companion-worthy smile. "Good morning."

"Mornin'." He fished his shirt off of the floor. "You been starin' at them and worrying for long?" He asked, slipping it on.

"I'm not worrying, just thinking." She corrected, taking a sip and then passing him the cup.

"Sometimes they're one in the same." Taking a drink he then passed it back. "And sometimes you don't put that Companion trained face of yours on fast enough."

Inara pursed her lips, not wanting to get into her thoughts regarding the boys, his boys. Scooting sideways to nestle herself up against his shoulder. "Why don't you tell me about your crime?"

"You wanna know my crime?"

"Haven't you heard? It's why I took up with you. I like the adrenaline rush of wondering how many holes you'll come back with."

Mal gave Inara a well executed side eye.

She smiled cheekily.

"Just meeting the guy." He patted her leg. "Name's Eddie. He wants to talk, see if we should start business." Mal wrapped an arm around her, knowing she was bothered still about the children that had abruptly entered their lives but also aware she was going to keep it covered up for a spell.

"I think everyone likes the sound of stability."

"Suppose so. Hey, you ever heard of a steak house?"

Inara tilted her head slightly to the side, dark hair cascading over her shoulders in the process. "They're quite popular on the Core."

"You mind me askin more?"

"Why the curiosity?"

"This new Eddie feller we're gonna see to start up some business with owns one'a them." He explained, absently petting her waist as she passed him the tea cup once more. "Wants to meet me at it. Sounded fancy."

Inara put her hand on his and started toying with it. "They are a type of parlor that caters to the indulgences that come with more refined tastes. Very expensive food, alcohol, usually some type of smoking menu as well. At night there is gambling and live entertainment. Only the best is provided at a steakhouse. It's very exclusive, usually there is some kind of invitation or membership."

"Would a Companion be at such a place?"

Inara's lips pulled into a thin, delicate line. "A younger one perhaps. Less seasoned, less knowledgeable of the connotations. A Companion of a higher status would politely decline, they would know better."

"Let me guess-"

She demurely smiled at him. "I have to retain a certain reputation, Captain. I'm flattered though."

Mal smiled lazily back. "Worth a shot. 'Sides, it's been awhile since you've had to pretend to like me in public."

"True, and it would have been a good excuse to get you to the groomers." Inara said playfully. She paused and squeezed his hand. "If this man owns a steakhouse, I would suggest taking someone who has knowledge of refined taste and Core culture. Also, you may want to follow the dress code."

"Sounds like you can have me groomed after all."

"Simon's going be be excited he gets to go." She mused.

"He has been pushin' for more away team work when it comes to crime. Should have never let Zoe teach him how to shoot." He paused, then let out a deep breath. "What's on your docket?"

"They just opened a Guild House on the outskirts of Antilles. I'm scheduled to take a tour and meet with the head mistress." She felt him tense. Truth be told, she didn't want to talk to him about her work, because they still weren't seeing eye to eye on it.

"You wanna put down roots?" He asked warily.

"I never said that." She eased. "However if we make Highgate our port because of this new business, I would like to have a room at the house for work. That way every time we're docked or if you need to head out to some planet that doesn't exactly have clientele for me, I have the option of staying in Antilles."

Mal jutted his lower lip out, mulling over the idea of Inara's work taking her off ship. Truth be told, he didn't like to share her, even if she was simply counseling a person or hanging on their arm at an event. However the previous night had taken the fight out of him, and he merely begrudgingly nodded in response. "There's enough rich men on Highgate now?"

"With the Alliance Expansion Initiative drawing investors there are." She watched him, and could tell it was a discussion or altercation they would have later. He was impossible to convince when it came to her title, or the Guild in general.

"Huh." Mal opened his mouth, but before he could William stirred. The boy stretched, yawning groggily and pushing River.

She roused because of him. As her eyes opened she pulled him closer and nuzzled, whining in reluctance to being forced awake. River looked up and saw the Captain and the Companion talking in bed and smiled drowsily.

"Good morning you two." Inara chuckled at the duo's reluctance to move. "Sleep well?"

"Always sleep well in here." River told her, sitting up and leaving William on the mattress next to her. "Happy. Kinda."

"For a spell." Mal told her, watching his boy yawn and twist awake. He couldn't help but smile at the pair. River rarely took to anyone quick, but she seemed to have a friend in William. She was playing with his hair, and he was giggling and yawning.

"Go get him." Inara nudged Mal.

The Captain stiffened. "Why?"

"Because you can talk to him?" She whispered. "Bond, perhaps?"

He shifted uncomfortably.

Rolling her eyes, Inara back handed him in the gut as she slid out of bed. "Both of you look well rested." Taking a seat next to the pair, she combed River's wild hair away from her face as William stretched. "It wasn't too crowded on the couch together?"

"Uh uh." William half yawned. He was a cuddlesome boy, and River letting him do so was shiny. Warren never liked him cuddling. "Was comfy and warm."

"Xiǎodì is squishy." River told Inara, leaning into her caress as her clairvoyant brain began to click and whirr with the rest of Serenity's morning routine. "Snuggly. Also his brain is nice and calm. His monsters are smaller than mine."

William furrowed his brow, tired and confused.

"What have we said about talking about people's brains when they're in front of you?" Inara prompted as she watched the little boy try to figure out what the Reader meant. Reaching out, she smoothed his bed hair down, her fingers trailing to caress his cheek.

"Not to?" River said sheepishly, looking down to the already confused William. "Sorry I talked about your brain new Xiǎodì"

"It's rude." Inara reminded her.

"It's rude." River finished, bowing her head coyly. It didn't last long though, it swiveled towards the wall where the galley was roughly located. "Kaylee bought pancake mix." Her eyes narrowed conspiratorially. "Waffles." Looking down at William, she cocked her head to the side. "We need waffles. Kaylee waffles."

William nodded, scrambling up to sit he made a quick move for Inara.

A bit startled, she caught him, accepting the bear hug and the kiss to her cheek.

"Xièxiè." He said sweetly.

"Huānyíng nǐ, xiǎo xiōngdì." Patting his back, she set him down and watched him hurry over to his new partner in crime. "Remember to pace yourself at breakfast."

They were already out the door, River explaining the in-depth chemistry and physics behind why waffles were a superior food along the way.

She smiled warmly, but it disappeared when she saw Mal's smug face grinning at her from the bed. "What?" Composing herself, she rose and went over to the door.

"Oh nothin'." He watched her lock the door to the shuttle, and he drew up a brow as she slunk over. "It's just here you were last night, sayin' how you weren't motherin'-"

Inara's eyes formed into slits.

"You were workin' your Companion training on him, using your wiles on babes and such-"

"Mal-"

""Cept you really weren't" As she slipped back into the bed, he was the recipient of a glare that had a thousand daggers behind it. It only made his cheshire smile widen. "You were Moth-"

Inara smacked him. "Ó, bì zuǐ." She sat in front of him, straddling him, allowing her eyes to do the talking. They asked him whether or not he was going to shut up so they could have sex.

"Didn't think you liked us doing this in your bed." He said huskily, running his hands up her hips.

"I don't." She helped him get his shirt off once more as his hand slipped up her nightgown. "This is a place of commerce. I don't consider what we do as commerce." Kissing him, her pulse quickened as he pulled her gown up and off. His hands languishing up her body sent chills down her spine and blood flowing to southernmost places. "But I'm willing to make exceptions."

"Hell, I don't care." He said breathlessly as she pushed his pajama pants down to his ankles and he fervently kicked them off.

"I do." It was the last thing Inara said that wasn't a mixture of panting and vowels.

* * *

"They're sexin' one another." Jayne said out loud as the crew was seated at the table.

"Jayne!" Kaylee admonished as she put a plate of waffle, bacon and eggs in front of Emerson "There's kids at the table?"

River gave Emerson a dose of white hot side eye.

Emerson furrowed her brows.

"Stole my chair." River muttered. "Lying eyes."

"Well it's true." He said, stabbing at his eggs with this fork. "Instead of gettin' trim he should be focusin' on gettin' us work."

"You should be focusin' on eating your breakfast." Zoe suggested. Beside her, Simon closed the lid to a jar of ointment and hoisted Mayday up to his chest. "All done?"

"It's going to take a moment for it to work on her gums." He reassured the mother, patting the littlest pirate's back. "On the plus side, we can probably try some eggs with her today." Reaching down, he picked up the frozen teething ring and offered it up to May. She opened her mouth wide, like an eager baby bird, and clamped down as soon as it was inserted. Gnawing, she whimpered as it helped soothe her teething.

"She's gonna need a long nap." Zoe sighed, tiredly. "Was up half the night."

"You should have come and seen me. Mal had us up at an ungodly hour." The doctor remembered. Looking down at his niece, he kissed her curly hair and helped her with the teething ring. Being one that stayed on ship during most jobs, he had found himself often spending time with May. Being an uncle had grown on him.

"Why'd he wake you up?" Warren asked pensively as his fork was near his mouth.

"Your test." The doctor explained. "I'd like to privately talk to you and Will after breakfast."

The boys looked at one another. The eldest slowly nodded his head.

"Always wanted a brother." River looked to William, pleased as punch and halfway done with her waffle.

"Heeey." Simon's voice hitched. River was ignoring him though, and it made him think about whether or not she still considered him a sibling, or if he had become something else."And Em?"

Emerson looked up at the doctor, chewing a mouth full of waffle. "Hm?"

"We need to get your medical file started. Since we're not expected to land till early tomorrow in the A.M., I'd like to give you a full physical and blood work up."

She swallowed her food, reaching for her mug of coffee. "Oh Doc, that's not necessary." Taking a sip she continued. "I'm as healthy as a horse."

"I don't doubt that one bit. But sooner or later you'll be sick or injured, and I'd rather have all of the information on you already available. It'll save time down the road, maybe your life."

"Simon's a bit thorough." Zoe said, eating her breakfast as the doctor entertained May. "But it does make a difference. Should do it before the Captain forces ya."

"Forces what?" Mal asked, lumbering in as he smoothed his hair down.

"Waffle?" Kaylee broke his concentration, hovering a plate in front of his nose.

"You know the test results, Sir?" Warren butted in as Mal swiped the plate.

The clatter of forks died down as heads turned. Mal looked at the boys a bit gobsmacked whilst feeling suddenly warm. Bracing himself, he rocked on his naked heels, the cool metal grating digging into his skin. "Yeah, you're uh-you're mine."

Everyone waited, but the children looked at him confusingly as if they weren't quite sure how to react to his less-than joyous announcement.

The silence was deafening.

"Hey you-" Mal blurted, trying to do something, anything, to rid the quiet in the room. However he couldn't quite remember the name of the big one.

"Warren?" Warren answered.

"Yeah, War. You worked at a fishery, right?" Mal headed to the table as the others resumed eating.

"Yes…" Warren paused, mulling over half a dozen different things to call the man who was his father, but certainly would not take being called father well. "_Captain_."

"You know machines?"

"Some basic stuff. I learn quick though." He pushed his eggs around absently, eying the Captain who slipped into the chair at the head of the table. "Like fixin' things."

"After breakfast, you get some coveralls from the locker and go with Kaylee, you're her new assistant."

Kaylee's face lit up like a beacon. "Well, I like the sound of that. I can always use another set of hands."

"Shiny." Warren offered the slightest smile. "Always wanted to learn how to work on ships."

"What 'bout me?" William asked shyly.

Mal looked at the boy, flummoxed. Hell if he knew what kids that age were good at. He briefly pondered having the whelp clean out all of his smuggling nooks. Then again, that was probably too dangerous. "Uhhh."

"You read?" Emerson asked.

"I love readin'." William announced before taking a gulp of milk.

"Made sure he knew how." Warren added softly.

"Anyone have a Cortex Washi?" She asked the table.

"I do." Inara said, announcing her presence as she entered the room.

"If you can loan it out, I can pirate some books for him and download them onto it." The pilot suggested. "He can read today, education and whatever else sounds positive to his development."

"I don't see why not." The Companion agreed. "May I please just have the bacon and eggs, Kaylee?"

"Shiny. You go… do that. Simon, what's on your list?" Mal focused on buttering his waffle and drowning it in syrup.

Simon, taken aback, looked up. "Um, I need to give Emerson her physical, give the boys some medication?"

"Good. Need you to clean off your suit."

"Why?"

Mal scooped some waffle onto his fork. "'Cause, you and I are meeting our new client tomorrow."

Simon sat back, Zoe and Jayne stopped eating. "I'm sorry, I-"

"_He_ gets to go?" The merc gave the doctor a dirty look, feeling betrayed he wasn't being chosen for the clandestine activities he had been looking forward to. "And I don't?"

"It's just you… and _me_?" Simon asked.

"You may be a little bit more rough and tumble now, but you still fit the fancy part. And I need someone to pass as Core."

"Oh." Simon thought it over.

Mal looked his medic over, puzzled. "Didn't you want to be more involved with the crime?"

"I suppose."

River looked across the table at Emerson. "You like distractions."

Emerson was confused.

"Well good, 'cause you are." Malcolm reinforced.

"May I ask why I need to be so well-heeled?"

"Also, you stole my chair." River told the new pilot seriously.

"We can talk later about the specifics." Mal reassured Simon "Zoe'll lend you out a piece."

Zoe raised a questioning brow. "Well that's good to know."

"A piece?" Warren muttered. "Like… a gun?"

"Yeah." Jayne scoffed. "You saw that big one I got. What you think you're on? A missionary ship?"

"No, I just didn't-"

"We're crooks." Mal blurted plainly. "Pirates, some might say."

The table fell silent again.

Jayne giggled deviously.

Zoe focused on eating.

William leaned forward, suddenly enthralled with the conversation due to the word "pirate".

Simon nearly choked on a sip of coffee.

Mayday frowned at her uncle as he coughed. She whined, though the noise was muffled as her teething ring fell out of her mouth.

Inara took a long pull from her tea.

Warren was at a loss for words. He shifted nervously in his chair.

"But we're _nice_ pirates." Kaylee finally offered, trying her best to spin her Captain's bluntness.

"Sometimes." Jayne leered. "Depends on who deserves to be shot." Still stewing over the fact that Simon was going and he wasn't, the merc glared at the doctor.

"You think everyone deserves to be shot you jù báichī." Simon said in a sweeter, higher pitched voice suited for his niece as he raised May over his head and smiled at her to get her to laugh.

"Perhaps we shouldn't talk about this at breakfast?" Kaylee suggested.

"Perhaps I should go on this job." Jayne suggested tersely.

"Perhaps everyone should finish eating and get to work." Mal raised his voice.

* * *

"Here." Emerson passed the thin tablet back to Inara as they stood in the helm. William was wandering the helm, looking around at all of the lights and buttons. "It's got a little bit of everything, threw in some science and history vids too."

"Thank you." She smiled appreciatively, flicking her finger across the display and reading the list of books the pilot had downloaded.

"Not really a whole lot a kid can do on a ship like this."

Inara smiled at some familiar titles from her youth. "I'm sure once we're on Antilles we can find some more things for our little buccaneer."

Emerson leaned back in her chair as River ghosted in and William was busy studying the dinosaurs on the console. "So dumb question, but you're on babysitting duty?"

"For a spell. I don't have anything on my schedule and the others are busy." She watched William tromp over to River as she curled up into the co-pilot's chair.

The reader, ever the teenager, rolled her head to the side and gave the pilot a glare of annoyance. "You stole my chair."

The pilot sighed, exasperated. "I'm really sorry, again."

"Lying eyes."

Inara looked to River, who was suddenly busy spinning a yarn of tall tales with William. "She's a teenager." The Companion reassured Emerson. "Occasionally that shows."

"She stole my chair." River piped up again, stealing the stegosaurus the boy had in his hands. She waved it above his head teasingly, grinning from ear to ear.

"Give it!" He squealed, clambering up onto the chair and climbing all over River like a small monkey.

"No." River stuck her tongue out, keeping it out of his reach. Suddenly, he pushed on her hard enough and she lost her balance, the pair falling out of the chair and onto the floor in a fit of giggles.

"Though it shows on the _rarest_ of occasions." Inara added.

Mal walked in, cocking his head ever so slightly to the side as the two tussled. "Who said there's horsin' around allowed up on my bridge?"

River scrambled to her feet, gleefully keeping William at bay. "You horse around here!" She danced away from the seven year old, pausing briefly in front of the Captain before arching a knowing brow. "With Inara." She said coyly, the words dripping with innuendo.

The Captain's face went blank.

Inara sighed, glaring at River like the unruly child she was being.

The teen flashed a grin before bolting out and down the stairs. "Xiǎodì can't catch me!"

"Can too!" The little boy yelped, not too far behind.

"One of you better not die!" He yelled down the corridor half-heartedly. "Who woulda thought, she's fluent in seven-year-old." Mal hitched his thumbs into his suspenders and moseyed over to the Companion and the pilot.

"I think I'm tired from just watching them." Inara joked.

"You got that book thing?" He asked her, eying the tablet.

"Emerson was kind enough to fill it up. He'll be reading after he's done wearing River out."

There was a playful shriek from somewhere within the boat. "Xiǎodì!"

"Em," Mal turned to the pilot. "Doc wants to give you a full work up before we're planet side. Make sure you're in shape for the job."

Emerson looked at him warily. "I uh… I'll decline. Feel healthy as all get out."

"No need to be afraid of the Doc, he's pretty good." The Captain reassured.

"He has an excellent bedside manner." Inara nodded herself. "Very gentle touch. He has quite a few patients who aren't fond of needles and he's aware of that."

Mal turned to her. "When have you been gently touched?"

Inara dismissed him. "You talk to your sons yet?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Em, go see the Doc, I'll take over."

Emerson hesitated, but eventually got up and left.

Mal furrowed his brow suspiciously as he sank into the chair. The moment passed though, and he settled into Serenity's readouts and data as he did his best to ignore the elephant Inara had led into the room.

Inara grimaced at Mal's avoiding, but focused on something equally important. "She's not being entirely truthful."

"'Bout what?" He said, keeping his eyes on the screen.

"I don't know." The Companion gave a delicate shrug. "She's not very good coming off unassuming though. Her body language is full of red flags."

"We all lie."

She drew a perfectly shaped brow up.

"Well it never set River off, can't be that bad."

"That bounty hunter who tried to kill Jayne last month didn't set her off either." Inara reminded him. "She just playfully hurled insults… at _Jayne_."

Mal reached up and grabbed the com, flipping a switch. "Simon."

"Yes?" His voice crackled over the system.

"Make sure our pilot gets a full, _thorough,_ checkup."

* * *

Translations

Xiǎodì: Little brother

Xièxiè: Thank you

Huānyíng nǐ, xiǎo xiōngdì.: You're very welcome, little brother.

Ó, bì zuǐ.: Oh, shut up.

jù báichī.: Big idiot.

* * *

**A/N: As always, reviews are highly appreciated.**


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